We are Engaged!

Well..not ME but my daughter Hope! She hopes to get married next summer if she can get it scheduled with her optometry internship weeks (which she should). SO off we go into the bridal fray! My husband graciously offered her $5000 to elope, but no such luck for him. We are not rolling in the dough, so we will be making a lot of budget minded choices where we can. I told her she will have a handmade wedding, but a pretty one! Stay tuned for I shall be sharing what we make! I think those big, high dollar weddings are ridiculous, but I know there are expenses no matter what you do! So off we go..with a "promise ringed" daughter number 2 waiting in the wings and our oldest son who just asked his girlfriend's father for his blessing to marry her too! (Whew)

Here is what I was up to this week. I made a dozen of these small pillows for my Etsy shop.

The pillows were pre made, but I raided my vintage stash of lace, buttons and ribbons.

I added rosettes and large vintage mother of pearl buttons and vintage and antique lace. I sometimes cringe to use up my "good stuff", but I read a story by a fellow artist/crafter once who said basically, when you use your "good stuff" that is when you GET "good stuff". And honestly, I have more "good stuff" than I can probably use!

These were some of the vintage film reels listed this week in my husband's shop. These are already on their way to California!

I listed some vintage pottery pieces this week in my shop. I looooove aqua pottery, so selling this is a bit miraculous for me! I have decided to purge a bit from my collections though. I want to remodel my living room and get rid of a couple of my big cabinets, so something has to go!

 These are cool too..no makers mark and I doubt they are McCoy (wrong bottoms) but maybe Hull or one of the California potteries. These have a beachy, wave look to them!

I listed a few pieces of vintage doll clothes that I repossessed from my local booth. I already sold one shabby, faded Raggedy Andy style suit. I still have this one which I think is homemade..sometimes it is hard to tell. I usually look for serged seams as most home sewers did not have sergers back then!

I have a weak spot for vintage doll clothes. I always think they would look so cute on a clothesline "garland" in a laundry room or a little girl's room!

Or even just a few pinned up on vintage wooden hangers like this one..

Here is one thing we will probably be using at Hope's wedding... lots of vintage aqua ball jars for vases or candleholders, and lots of my paper peonies! I make these with coffee filters and will eventually be doing a tutorial here.

I also worked on these this week. These are Victorian style nosegays or posies I made with vintage style millinery velvet flowers and antique paper and vintage ribbons.

I edged them with vintage mica flakes from the stash I found/bought last week for a bit of glimmer.

This was a quickie I made for my booth. I should have taken a "before"! It was a shabby  grunge-y metal tool box with permanent marker on it. I scrubbed it with Comet and Dawn to get rid of the grease, and spray painted it inside and out a lovely aqua. I E6000 glued on a vintage patina-ed brass house number. I covered the screw holes with bling-y rhinestones. Much better!

These are something else I am making for my shop. They are vintage style "German" sheep that I covered with more of the vintage mica..too cute! My photos weren't the best so I need to do a re-shoot before I list them.

I found this little gal today. I felt she was too cool to leave behind. She is a 40's-50's handmade sawdust stuffed cloth doll. She has faded yarn braids and a rustic stitched face. Her body and head are stuffed with cotton or wool. She has seam jointed arms and legs. She even has a slip (she's a nice girl) and panties hiked up under her armpits. She didn't tell me her name but she looks like fun!

I listed 2 of these in my handmade shop. I made these from new old stock pillow ticking and vintage patchwork quilt stars. I like how these have a modern farmhouse feel!

Today was also my grandson Hunter's 5th birthday. I can't believe how fast the time has gone! He and his momma live with us while she finishes college. When they eventually move out, I don't know what I'll do! Sarge here is my grand-dog. He is Hope's "baby". He thinks he is a people. He is visiting us for the summer with his momma while she is on break from optometry school. He is so smart and I spoil him terribly. When she said she got a pit bull puppy I was concerned, but he is a laid back pretty boy and so goofy he makes me laugh every day! Well..I think there maaaay be a couple of mini Snickers and some cake left soooooo... until next time! I hope your week is filled with good news, productivity, goofiness, and cake!